Musician, Music Educator, Educational Administrator

Amarillo College
Professor of Music
Chair of Music and Theatre
Coordinator of the Suzuki Program
Instructor of Violin and Viola, Mariachi, String Studio, Music Appreciation, Music Fundamentals, Recital Attendance

E-mail: cdnies@actx.edu

Phone: 806-371-5346

Office: Music Building 308

Biography

Amarillo native Camille Day Nies is Chair of the Music and Theatre Department at Amarillo College (AC), and Professor of Music, where she teaches viola, string ensembles, and music appreciation. She has coordinated and taught in AC’s Suzuki Program since 2000. 

Nies has been a violist with the Amarillo Symphony since she was 15, serves as principal violist in the Amarillo Opera orchestra, and enjoys performing with Chamber Music Amarillo, Amarillo College faculty, and various community ensembles. As a vocalist, she performed roles with Amarillo Opera, soprano soloist in the Mozart Requiem and Haydn Lord Nelson Mass, featured as a soloist with the Amarillo Symphony, and is an alum of the outdoor music drama TEXAS. Nies also has composed and performed incidental music for area high school One Act Play productions.

An avid proponent of equitable, high-quality music education, Nies’ education experience includes teaching orchestras and choirs in Amarillo area schools and directing community-wide summer youth musical productions. She is a member of the Amarillo Symphony Board of Directors, coaches in the Amarillo Symphony Youth Orchestra, and regularly presents community outreach performances and lectures. She was the first community college representative on the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) Board, and currently serves on the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) Commission for Community College Accreditation and site visitation team, Texas Association of Music Schools (TAMS) committees, and is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) and Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA). 

A product of the synergy between education and the arts in the Texas Panhandle, Nies studied with Harrington Quartet violists Amy Brandfonbrener, Ted Allred, and Joanna Mendoza.  She earned a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Business with emphasis in viola and voice from West Texas A&M (West Texas State) University. Her Suzuki pedagogical training includes study with Elizabeth Stuen-Walker, Beverly de la Bretonne, William Preucil, Doris Preucil, Joanne Bath, Stevie Sandven, and Marilyn O'Boyle.

Performance Experience

Amarillo College

Collaborative Violist and Vocalist 

    Faculty Recital ('17-'20, '20-'25)

    River Road ISD One Act Play Incidental Music ('21-'23)

    Community Concert Band vocal soloist (’17)

    AC Suzuki Faculty Quartet, various community performances (’00-Present)

          Chapman Fiddle vs Violin Window on a Wider World Educational Program (’12)

          Sierra Chamber Ensemble Workshop (’09)

 Chamber Music Amarillo

    Section viola in various classical series programs   

          Michael Palmer, Conductor

    Violist with Dave Ritter jazz ensemble (’13), live presentation of “Out of Nowhere” studio session

Amarillo Opera

Principal Viola

Gianni Schicci ('24), Tosca ('23), Rigoletto ('23), Barber of Seville ('22),  Hansel unt Gretel ('21), Die Fledermaus (’19), La Traviata (’17), Evita (’17), Marriage of Figaro (’16), Les Miserables, Amahl and the Night Visitors ('14, ‘16), Cavalleria Rusticana/I Pagliacci, Lucia di Lammermoor, Candide, Madama Butterfly, La Perichole, La boheme, The Italian Straw Hat, Rigoletto

Section Viola

            Amahl and the Night Visitors ('12,'13,’15), Gianni Schicchi ('10), Cosi fan tutte, La Traviata

Vocalist - lead and supporting roles

The Magic Flute (Third Lady & First Lady), Madama Butterfly (Kate), Die Fledermaus (Prince Orlofsky), The Ballad of Baby Doe (Samantha), The Marriage of Figaro (Cherubino understudy)

Amarillo Symphony Orchestra

Section Viola

    George Jackson, Music Director & Conductor

    Jacomo Rafael Bairos, Music Director & Conductor

    Kimbo Ishii-Eto, Music Director & Conductor

    James Setapen, Music Director & Conductor

          Music Makes the Difference educational program small ensemble violist, (‘02-’04)

          String Family in-school educational program quintet violist, (‘98-‘02)

       Premiere recording of ASO commissioned work, Roundings, Samuel Jones (’00)

    Robert Bernhardt, Music Director & Conductor, (‘85-‘87)

Vocal Soloist

    James Setapen, Music Director & Conductor, (’88-’07)

         Educational concerts Amarillo By Morning (’04), Classical Concert Series (‘99, ‘94, ’93)

Lone Star Ballet/Amarillo Symphony Orchestra

Section Viola - The Nutcracker (’06, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’11, ’13, ’14, ’17, ‘18)    

Avila International Chamber Music Festival, Avila, Spain, 6/2019   

    Violist with faculty piano quintet

Globe News Center for the Performing Arts, 5/2019

    Featured performer in educational video on facility acoustics

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Amarillo shows), 2000-2003; 2012

    Beethoven’s Last Night, violin 2012

    Christmas shows, viola 2000-2003

NATS Regional Conference Presentation and WTAMU Recital, violist, 2009            

Three Sonnets for soprano, viola and piano, John Duke

    Melody Baggech, soprano and Starla Hibler, piano

Amarillo Little Theatre, viola & violin various productions

   Light in the Piazza (’10), A Christmas Carol (’07, ’08, ’09), Cinderella, Into the Woods, Big River, Secret Garden, Phantom of the Opera

Crystal String Quartet, viola, founding member

    Weddings and receptions

Polk Street United Methodist Church

       Vocal soloist for Mozart Requiem, Haydn Lord Nelson Mass, Handel Messiah

   Principal violist for three to five annual presentations

First Baptist Church, Hillside Baptist Church, Amarillo College Community Concert Band, Amarillo Master Chorale, West Texas A&M University, Philharmonia New Mexico

    Violist and vocalist for various area churches and musical groups

TEXAS Outdoor Musical Drama, vocal soloist & chorus member

Teaching Experience

Amarillo College, Amarillo, Texas 

Music Department Chair, July 2016-Present; Theatre added, August 2019

Associate Professor of Music, Suzuki Program Coordinator, Suzuki Violin & Viola Teacher 

Mariachi (2024-Present), String Studio (2023-Present), Recital Attendance (2021-Present), Music Appreciation and Music Literature (2001-Present)

Avila International Chamber Music Festival, Avila, Spain    

Faculty chamber music performer, Ensemble coach, Viola                                                                

West Texas A&M Chamber Music Camp     

Ensemble coach, Viola teacher

Amarillo Summer Youth Musical

Conductor/Music Director             

Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Poppins, Oliver!

Alto Alliance, Amarillo-Ft. Worth, Texas

Co-Director

West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas

Part Time Instructor

Teaching Assistant

Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, Texas

Adjunct Instructor

River Road Independent School District, Amarillo, Texas

Choir Teacher

Amarillo Independent School District, Amarillo, Texas 

String Specialist - Middle School Orchestra Director

Professional Affiliations

Amarillo Symphony Board of Directors

   Executive Director Search, Education and Strategic Planning committees

National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) 

   Commission for Community College Accreditation, Visiting Evaluator

Texas Association of Music Schools (TAMS)

    Chair of Two Year School Commission

Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) Board of Directors

Amarillo Symphony Orchestra Committee

Friends of Aeolian-Skinner

Amarillo Arts Committee

Delta Kappa Gamma

   Zeta Epsilon Chapter

 North Texas Suzuki Association

Suzuki Association of the Americas

Texas Music Educators Association 

   Region I String Solo & Ensemble Contest Host

Education & Certifications

West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas

Master of Music, Vocal Performance 4.0 GPA

    Graduate Assistant, vocal studies with Cloyce Kuhnert

    Selected to lead alma mater at graduation ceremony

    Amarillo Symphony Scholarship

Bachelor of Music, Music Business Cum Laude

       Viola studies with Amy Brandfonbrener

       Vocal studies with Elsa Porter & Stephen Morschek

       Recognized in Who’s Who Among American College Students

       WTAMU Concerto Competition winner (voice)

National Mariachi Education Consultants Beginning & Intermediate Level Workshops

The Creative Body: Contemporary Alexander Techniques for Performers

Google Education Certification Level 1 & Level 2

Quality Matters Professional Development Certificates

   Using Instructional Materials and Technology to Promote Learner Engagement (UMTE)

   Improving Your Online Course (IYOC)

   Designing Your Blended Course (DYBC)

   Designing Your Online Course (DYOC)

Butler School of Music (University of Texas) Metacourse in Online Teaching

Teaching Improvisation with Avi Friedlander

StringsPop Teacher Hub

Coursera – Music Theory

Suzuki Association of the Americas Short and Long Term Courses

The SAA considers training to be professional pedagogical study, intended for well-trained musicians. A

video audition is required and must be accepted for participation in an SAA-approved Teacher Training.

Registered Teacher Training:

   Group Class Techniques Workshop with Carey Beth Hockett (10 clock hours), Ft. Worth, TX

   Viola Book 8 with Elizabeth Stuen-Walker (24 clock hours), Bellingham, WA

   Viola Book 5 with Elizabeth Stuen-Walker (24 clock hours), Ft. Worth, TX

   “Suzuki Principles in Action” with Sharon Miller (12 clock hours), Amarillo, TX

   Viola Book 9 premier offering with William Preucil, Sr. (24 clock hours), Austin, TX

   Viola Book 6 with Elizabeth Stuen-Walker (24 clock hours), Bellingham, WA

   Viola Book 4 with Elizabeth Stuen-Walker (24 clock hours), Ft. Worth, TX

   Viola Books 1-3 Overview with Elizabeth Stuen-Walker (23 clock hours), Ft. Worth, TX

   “Every Child Can!” with Dr. Susan Baer (6 clock hours), Lubbock, TX

    Violin Book 8 with Beverly de la Bretonne (3.0 credit hours), Amarillo, TX

    Violin Book 7 with Beverly de la Bretonne (3.0 credit hours), Amarillo, TX

    Violin Book 6 with Doris Preucil (24 clock hours), Snowmass, CO

    Violin Book 5 with Joanne Bath (24 clock hours), Snowmass, CO

    Violin Book 4 with Beverly de la Bretonne (3.0 credit hours), Amarillo, TX

    Violin Book 3 with Beverly de la Bretonne (3.0 credit hours), Amarillo, TX

    Violin Book 2 with Stevie Sandven (24 clock hours), Ottawa, KS

    Violin 1A & 1B with Beverly de la Bretonne (6.0 credit hours), Amarillo, TX

    Violin 1A & 1B with Marilyn O’Boyle (45 clock hours), Ft. Worth, TX

Observations

    Additional hours of observations of institute trainers and teachers (primarily violin Books I-III and viola) at DFW-WOW, Ithaca Institute, Sante Fe Suzuki Institute, Colorado Suzuki Institutes, and lecturers are various SAA conferences and North Texas Suzuki Association events

Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, New Mexico

Amarillo College Online Instructor Certification

   12-hour certificate focusing on online learners, instructional design, assessment and media

O’Connor String Method, O’Connor Training Workshop, New York, NY

Teacher Certification

West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas

Applied Viola Lessons

   Graduate viola studies with Joanna Mendoza

Texas Education Agency

Texas Teacher Certification All-Level Music